This sauce is associated with French cooking, but can be found in northern Italy. Try it as a sauce on fish, meat, and vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry, white wine
• 4 shallots chopped fine
• 2 Tbs fresh tarragon (2 tsp dried)
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/8 tsp white pepper
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

1. In a small saucepan add the wine, shallots, and tarragon. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until reduced to about 2 Tbs.
2. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
3. In the saucepan whisk beaten yolks, salt, white pepper, and lemon juice over low heat. Continue to whisk until the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream. (The heat should be low enough that you can safely touch the bottom of the pan. If necessary, remove from the heat and continue to whisk.)
4. Add the butter one piece at a time until it is all mixed into the egg mixture and the whisk is coated heavily.
5. Remove from heat and whisk in the wine-tarragon mixture.

Note: I love the Italian name for tarragon - dragoncello. Next time you serve steak make Bernaise sauce and announce that you will be serving bistecca al dragoncello!